{{short description|Barbadian-born British singer}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Zeeteah Massiah | image = Zeeteah Massiah singing in London.jpg | caption = Massiah in 2013 | birth_name = Zeeteah Silveta Massiah | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|12|24}} | birth_place = [[Saint John, Barbados|Saint John]], Barbados | occupation = Singer | spouse = [[Paul Caplin]] | years_active = 1980–present | website = {{URL|zeeteah.com}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | background = solo_singer <!-- mandatory field --> | instrument = Vocals | genre = [[Reggae]], [[Jazz]], [[House Music|House]] | label = {{Flat list| *[[Union City Recordings|Union City]] *[[Virgin Records|Virgin]] *[[Swing City]] *Creative Control }} | current_member_of = Caplin & Massiah | past_member_of = [[Arizona (British band)|Arizona]] }} }}

'''Zeeteah Silveta Massiah''' (born 24 December 1956) is a [[Barbados|Barbadian]]-born British singer particularly associated with [[reggae]], [[jazz]] and [[house music]]. She is one half of the duo Caplin & Massiah.

In a wide-ranging career she has recorded and/or toured with artists including [[Robbie Williams]], [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Sting (singer)|Sting]] and [[Leo Sayer]].<ref name=discogs>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/518366-Zeeteah-Massiah|title=Zeeteah Massiah|website=Discogs.com|access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref> She is best known in the United States as the lead vocalist on the 1993 [[Billboard Dance Chart|''Billboard'']] No.1 dance hit [[Slide on the Rhythm]].

Massiah was born in [[Saint John, Barbados]] and grew up in London.<ref name=discogs /> In 2001 she moved to Germany, and in 2012 returned to England, where she now lives.

==Biography== Born in [[Barbados]], Zeeteah moved to London with her parents when she was five years old. Her first name was originally spelled '''Zeitia'''.<ref name=discogs /> As a teenager she recorded a cover of [[The Jackson 5]]'s ''We Got A Good Thing Going'' in a [[reggae]] style for RG Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6644507-Zeita-Massiah-We-Got-A-Good-Thing-Going|title=Zeita Massiah - We Got A Good Thing Going|date=25 August 1975|access-date=25 August 2025|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> She went on to record two more reggae tracks for the label.

In 1984, Massiah appeared for nine months as Chiffon in the hit musical ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (musical play)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'' in London.<ref>Somerville, Matthew. [https://theatricalia.com/play/5hw/little-shop-of-horrors/production/ncw "''Little Shop of Horrors''"], Theatricalia.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022</ref>

She has been an additional vocalist for artists including [[Barry Manilow]] and [[Boy George]], and toured with [[Climie Fisher]] and [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]].<ref name=discogs /> In 1988, she sang with [[Kim Wilde]] on the European leg of [[Michael Jackson]]'s BAD tour and, in 1994/95, toured the world with [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]].<ref name="LarkinDM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=211}}</ref> She has also toured extensively with [[Eikichi Yazawa]]<ref name=yazawa>{{Cite web|url=https://ameblo.jp/muramatsu/entry-10779819287.html|title=EY style Eikichi Yazawa concert tour 2003|website=Ameblo.jp|access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref> and [[Johnny Hallyday]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tenues-johnny.fr/set_92/setlists-tournee-92.html|title=Tenues de scene de Johnny Hallyday|website=Tenues-johnny.fr|access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref> among the most successful rock stars in Japan and France respectively.

In 1993, Massiah was the lead vocalist on the [[Arizona (British band)|Arizona]] track "[[Slide on the Rhythm]]", later remixed by [[C&C Music Factory]], which was a [[List of number-one dance singles of 1993 (U.S.)|No. 1 hit]] on the [[Billboard Dance Chart|''Billboard'' Dance Chart]] in the US. She went on to record "I Specialise in Love" with Arizona, which was a UK chart hit.<ref name=guinness>Roberts, David. ''Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums''. Guinness World Records Ltd 17th edition (2004), p. 356. {{ISBN|0-85112-199-3}}</ref>

On the back of her success with Arizona, Massiah signed a deal with [[Virgin Records]],<ref name="LarkinDM"/> and released two singles: "Sexual Prime", which was a UK club hit, and "This Is The Place",<ref name="LarkinDM"/> which charted on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name=guinness /> In 1996 she was a UK finalist in the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] with "A Little Love".

In 2001, Massiah moved to [[Cologne]], Germany, where she worked with a wide range of musicians, and recorded the single "Lovely Deep". During this time she spent nine months as featured singer in the hit show ''Fantissima'', and spent three months touring Japan with Eikichi Yazawa.<ref name=yazawa />

In 2012, she returned to London to be with her partner [[Paul Caplin]], and the two were married in 2016. Massiah performs regularly in London, playing songs composed by Caplin as well as her own interpretations of musical classics. She has released two albums produced by Caplin: ''Juice'' (2014), an album of original songs,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Juice/release/6016662 |title=Zeeteah Massiah - Juice (CD, Album) at Discogs |website=[[Discogs]] |access-date=25 August 2014 |archive-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019123200/https://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Juice/release/6016662 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''Maybe Tomorrow'' (2016), a collection of classics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Maybe-Tomorrow/release/8528348|title=Zeeteah Massiah – Maybe Tomorrow (2016, CD)|access-date=24 June 2021|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> The duo also released the single "All You" on 13 July 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/fifthelement/view/178106/|title=Caplin & Massiah release their defiant anti-trump anthem ahead of his UK visit...|website=Pressparty.com|access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref> under the name Caplin & Massiah. On 18 November 2022 Massiah released "Wat A Ting", an album of reggae and dancehall music.{{fact|date=November 2025}}

In 2024 Massiah and Caplin launched [[Caplin & Massiah]] as their primary musical identity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rgm.press/we-review-the-new-single-from-caplin-massiah/review/review-review/|title=RVM Magazine article|website=Rgm.press|access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref> They have released three singles and an album under this name<ref>{{cite web|url=https://caplinandmassiah.com|title= Caplin and Massiah website}}</ref> to significant critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://notion.online/chemistry-by-caplin-massiah/|title=Caplin & Massiah review in Notion |date=16 June 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://theindiegrid.co.uk/reviews/chemistry-caplin-massiahs-daring-love-letter-to-life-and-sound/|title=Caplin & Massiah review in The Indie Grid |date=May 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://earmilk.com/2025/05/08/caplin-massiah-light-up-the-scene-with-chemistry/ |title =Caplin & Massiah review in Earmilk}}</ref> In 2025 the album ''Wat a Ting'' was rebranded as a Caplin & Massiah release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5VVL0bkXPx3xWEjHnUhord |title = ''Wat A Ting'' listed as a Caplin & Massiah album on Spotify|date=December 2025}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles=== *1980 "We Got A Good Thing Going" *1980 "A Love Like Yours" *1981 "I'm Still Waiting" *1991 "(Homegirl) Sing The Blues" *1992 "Feel My Love" *1993 "[[Slide on the Rhythm]]" – [[Arizona (British band)|Arizona]] feat. Zeitia *1994 "This Is The Place" *1994 "Keep It Up" – Sharada House Gang feat. Zeitia Massiah *1994 "I Specialize in Love" – Arizona feat. Zeitia *1996 "Sweet Love" – With It Guys feat. Zeitia *1996 "Sexual Prime" *1997 "You Got It" – [[Fargetta]] feat. Zeitia Massiah (five tracks on album) *1997 "Beat of Green" – Fargetta feat. Zeitia Massiah *1998 "Wishing on a Star" – Curtis & Moore presenting Zeitia Massiah (remixed by [[Mousse T]]) *1998 "Wishing on a Star Part 2" – Curtis & Moore presenting Zeitia Massiah *1998 "Baby Come Back" – North on 41 feat. Zeitia Massiah *1998 "You Came" – North on 41 feat. Zeitia Massiah *2005 "Lovely Deep" *2014 "Whatever This Is" *2022 "Wat A Ting"

===Albums=== *2013 ''Live in London'' *2014 ''Juice'' *2016 ''Maybe Tomorrow''

===Guest vocals=== ====Singles==== *1989 "[[Keep Each Other Warm]]" – [[Barry Manilow]] *1989 "Strong Enough" – [[Robbie France#Back to England|One Nation]] *1989 "What You See" – One Nation *1989 "My Commitment" – One Nation *1990 "Sweet Meat" – [[The Soup Dragons]] *1990 "[[Close to You (Maxi Priest song)|Close to You]]" – [[Maxi Priest]] *1991 "[[Born Free (Matt Monro song)|Born Free]]" – [[Vic Reeves]] *1994 "[[Generations of Love]]" – [[Boy George]] *1994 "[[Rock My Heart]]" – [[Haddaway]] *1995 "Let's Push It" – [[Nightcrawlers (band)|Nightcrawlers]] *1995 "Should I Ever" – Nightcrawlers *1995 "You Lift Me Up" – Nightcrawlers *1996 "[[Born Free (Matt Monro song)|Born Free]]" – [[Happy Clappers]] *1996 "Maria" – [[Eikichi Yazawa]] *1996 "[[Naked (Louise song)|Naked]]" – [[Louise (singer)|Louise]]

====Albums==== *1989 ''[[Trouble in the Home]]'' – [[Thrashing Doves]] *1991 ''[[Abracadabra (ABC album)|Abracadabra]]'' – [[ABC (band)|ABC]] *1993 ''Parc des Princes'' – [[Johnny Hallyday]] *1996 ''[[Smashing!]]'' – [[Right Said Fred]] *1999 ''Absolute O'Brien'' – [[Richard O'Brien]] *2021 ''Evolve'' – Gūnther Asbek

==See also== *[[List of number-one dance hits (United States)]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://zeeteah.com Official Zeeteah Massiah website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Massiah, Zeeteah}} [[Category:1956 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English women singers]] [[Category:Singers from London]] [[Category:Barbadian emigrants to England]] [[Category:People from Saint John, Barbados]]